On Christmas Day, a 23-year-old Nigerian citizen and former University College London engineering student — who lived in his “family home” on a block of seven-story mansions in central London and who claims to be affiliated with al-Qaeda — tried to blow up an airplane over Detroit. At least one law enforcement officer told CNN the man was “trying to down an aircraft over U.S. soil.”

Armed with a mysterious mix of explosives that federal officials are calling “less explosive more incendiary,” the man was able to ignite the device, setting himself on fire but not bringing down the airplane. There were 278 passengers on the non-stop flight from Amsterdam. Catastrophe was averted when a passenger, identified by De Telegraaf as 32-year-old Dutchman Jasper Schuringa, leapt on the bomber. Others then joined in to help.

After Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was arrested and placed in U.S. custody in Detroit, he told authorities that his explosive device was made of powdered explosives and had been taped to his leg. He said he ignited the IED by injecting a syringe filled with chemicals into the powdered mixture. But eyewitness Jasper Schuringa contradicted that report by stating that the man had an explosive device in his lap. Rep. Peter King, the senior Republican on the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee, said the IED was “fairly sophisticated” and that the device “appears to be different from what we’ve encountered before.”

More troubling pieces of the puzzle began to emerge the day after the attack. The man’s father, Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, former chairman of the First Bank in Nigeria, told Nigerian newspapers that his son was a radical with “extreme religious views.” The elder Mutallab also said that he had tried to alert U.S. authorities about his son being involved in a possible attack. “According to the family members, Mutallab has been uncomfortable with the boy’s extreme religious views and had six months ago reported his activities to United States’ embassy, Abuja and Nigerian security agencies,” reported Nigerian news outlet This Day.

If this is proves to be true, the TSA has a lot of explaining to do, starting with why Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was not placed on the U.S. no-fly list. And what qualified a radicalized engineering student for travel to the U.S. under a religious visa? The State Department, which grants visas, and the Department of Homeland Security, which participates in the review and approval of such visas, have a lot of explaining to do. That Abdulmutallab began his Detroit-bound journey halfway across the world in Africa bringing with him only carry-on luggage raises long-ignored questions about transporting bombs and/or suicide bombers into the U.S. from flights originating at third-world airports. If a passenger such as Abdulmutallab was so easily able to board an airplane with explosives in Africa, why would he not be re-screened in Schiphol before heading on to the United States?

According to a representative of the Dutch Royal Gendarmerie, Abdulmutallab was not screened in Schiphol because he never left the secure transit area. “Mr. Abdulmutallab did not leave the airport’s transit area” while he “transferred from one plane to another nor did he go through passport control,” the Gendarmerie representative said.

U.S. officials say Abdulmutallab claims to have received his explosives in Yemen, as well as instructions in Africa on how to detonate the bomb. This could be true (he would have had to have flown for ten hours from Africa with explosives on him), partially true (he could have picked up other components, including the syringe, along the way), or entirely false — a ruse to detract law enforcement from determining exactly how terrorists are perfecting their tactics for getting explosives onto commercial airplanes.

It will be interesting to see how this story pans out. What began being reported absurdly as “firecrackers” exploded on an airplane is now unfolding to be an international terror plot. Still, airline officials want desperately to downplay the event in this busy holiday season. Some are willing to spin tales. A senior airline official told an apocryphal tale to the New York Times — a tale which they rather bizarrely chose to print: “Mr. Abdulmutallab, who was sitting on the left side of the aircraft, may not have been trying to blow up the plane, but possibly intended to cause a fire to distract the cabin crew, cause passengers to panic and create a stampede for the exits as the plane was landing, a senior airline industry official who had been briefed on the situation said Saturday,” the unnamed airline official said.

In reality, Islamic jihadists have been trying to blow up airplanes over American soil for decades. That this plot follows suit is a far more plausible explanation. In 2003, Osama bin Laden called on Muslims in oil-rich Nigeria to rise up against one of the “regimes who are slaves of America.”

Annie Jacobsen writes the "Backstory" blog (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/back-story/)
for the Los Angeles Times Magazine.

Click here to view the 91 legacy comments

Click here to hide legacy comments

91 Comments, 91 Threads

1.
Craig

Greater official focus should be placed on Muslim who have attended colleges within the United Kingdom. It should come as no surprise that our would-be suicide bomber Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab completed his education in Britain. It has been documented for quite some time that British tertiary institutions are extremely accommodating towards Islamists. Recruitment, indoctrination and fund-raising are carried out within British universities with little opposition.

It is very dis-heartening that the formerly “Great” Britain has joined Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and Saudi Arabia as centers of Jihad. Considering the enthusiasm that the social elite have adopted Islamists as examples of their unlimited tolerance and have twisted official institutions to reflect their views, I wonder how long it will take until Britain resembles religiously polarized countries such as Nigeria or Lebanon?

Absolutely correct. The TSA and several other agencies have much explaining to do. 2001 was bad enough, now…there is little to no excuse for the FBI or CIA not to act on information that even the press has picked up on. Too many bells and whistles and not enough human common sense in our security services has led to this latest fiasco. Heads should roll, including this passengers. Totally unacceptable.

“Greater official focus should be placed on Muslim who have attended colleges within the United Kingdom.”

White race guilt threatens the very existence of the West. This terrorist was not prevented from getting onto this plane because his skin is black and he is a Muslim. A blond, blue eyed, white male who openly espoused Nazi beliefs would have been dealt with in a completely different manner. We must confront this politically correct mindset immediately. Our lives are seriously in jeopardy.

So much for the UK being an “ally.” Unfortunately, the US is heading down the same path. Islam and its adherents are the enemy. Not just in the West, but throughout the entire world. Until such time as governments are willing to face reality, more innocents will be placed in jeopardy and, ultimately, killed in the name of “tolerance.” Although the US engaged in near genocide against Native Americans, there is a valuable lesson to be learned: When dealing with a genocidal invader, it’s okay to play “Cowboys and Muslims.”

With a President that was raised as an Islamic Muslim, then spent the next twenty+ years in the Black Liberation Theology teachings of, “No, No, No, God Damn America, her chickens of have come to roost.” our official National Policy is to sympathize with this kind of crap in the hope that it succeeds because that is what the man believes.

In case you haven’t been paying attention there has been a steady increase of this kind of activity. Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab was arrested based on some rinky dink federal crime charges instead of International Terrorism. Why didn’t they just give him a speeding ticket and subpoena to appear on Judge Judy’s Court? That way Barrack Obama would have two things to brag about during his January 2010 State of the Union speech. Jamming government controlled healthcare down our throats and protecting the rights of radical International extremist terrorists.

Never fear or worry, Hoax and Change is going to hold a hearing on how to fix this pesky problem right after the holidays. How relieved we are to have so much effectiveness and wisdom keeping our nation; and our children – don’t forget the children – safe during these turbulent times.

I think we are more politically correct than ever and who would want to be invited to the beer summit because they might have discriminated against a black person and a muslim . I heard this morning that the case will be tried as a criminal matter not a terroist act . The big “O” and his friend Holder have very poor judgement and give no thought to the security of this country. I feel very insecure under the present administration .

Also, the statement from TSA that his “explosive mixture” was “more incendiary than explosive” doesn’t square with their own press release, which states that it was powdered PETN.

PETN (PEntaerythritol TetraNitrate) was first synthesized in Germany in 1891, and patented there in 1912. It is a “primary” high explosive, one of the most powerful chemical explosives known. It is mainly used (in very small quantities) as part of the “explosive train” or “gain” in detonators, notably in aerial bombs and artillery projectiles, roles it has filled since the First World War when it was so used by first the Germans, and by 1918 by almost all combatants.

What makes it useful in this role is that it is highly sensitive to shock and flame both. A spark or a strong impact will cause detonation rather than conflagration (burning); this makes it nearly ideal as an “initiator” for less sensitive explosives used in shell fillings. This also makes it one of the most dangerous chemical explosives to handle; even explosives experts treat PETN with the respect due to doing dental work on a non-sedated King Cobra, as the old saying goes.

There are several ways to acquire it, and no, I’m not going to mention them here. What I am going to mention is that (possibly in the interests of “P.C.”) the government once more seems to be downplaying just how serious an incident this is. Much like Fort Hood.

What was attempted aboard that airliner shows evidence that, whatever his contacts may or may not have been, the suspect knew what he was doing. Which means he’s either an expert, or got advice and instruction from one. Period.

This is the 2nd terrorist attack since “The Anointed One” was elected. While the executive branch has been focused on Global Warming and establishing Health Care Rationing boards, our enemies are successfully slipping under the wire and testing our defenses.

If Al Qaeda been more adept at idiot-proofing the device, the American-Idol/Dancing-with-the-Stars crowd might have taken notice. That is sad.

The PC culture is costing lives of US citizens. By trying to show the world how benevolent and kind we are, we are inviting this sort of thing. But not to worry. Janet Napolitano is on the case . Obama is probably hard at work on it as well from his blackberry on the golf course. We just have to start being nicer and less judgemental to peace loving muslims. One day they will start boarding planes with flowers for all of us instead of bombs.

With over half a million individuals on the terrorist watch list, the concern for “stereotyping” was the prime concern.
We may go down in history as the most politically correct society that was eradicated from the face of the earth.
I’m so proud!

While I personally think the TSA is a joke and in fact often hinders ppl from defending themselves… suicide bombers are very hard to stop and I know of many way in which they would easily get good sized bombs on planes without any problem.

The only way to stop these guys is with a combo of full body scan and KEEPING THEM THE HELL OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

The fact they we neither have full body scans nor even attempt to keep these ppl out of the country means that at any time someone in one of these groups can think of the ways I know to easily bypass security and boom… you’ll see planes falling from the sky.

You have to be careful here: this isn’t a simple naughty or nice list. Let’s say you have a teenage kid who pals around with another kid who has a rarely seen uncle suspected of being friends with and supporting members of al-Qaeada. That might be enough to get your kid and his friend on someone’s watch list, but should either be put on a No-Fly list because of that? Also the No-Fly list was made a complete botch of under Bush in becoming so large and with so many false-positives that it generally became considered ineffective by security experts. (A much more detailed analysis is here.)

A much more sophisticated and accurate system needs to be put into place and with a more sliding scale of threat that can still allow for extra watchfulness for even improbable threats without wholesale privacy infringement — someone who shows up on a list a very marginal potential threat can nevertheless get extra screening at the TSA security and more attention by flight attendants. It’s not exactly profiling if someone is on a list.

Patriots of America know that our protection is now up to us. Much praise goes to Jasper, who jumped the terrorist. There are millions of us who have already made up our minds to be watchful and ‘take care of our own’. My wife flies frequently and upon reading about the Air Tran practice run by a dozen or so Muslims, our family agreed that we would not board a plane that has multiple Arabs who are hanging together during pre board. We have also made a conscious decision to drive instead of fly.
Americans are already making these conscious decisions every day. we know that the leaders of our government do not have our protection or best interest in mind. We are on our own until responsible leadership is once again in the White House and in our Senates.
Independence Day is coming in November, 2010.

C’mon people. Steps have already been taken to make air travel even more unpleasant than it was before. The wheelchair-bound nuns with oxygen bottles will be given extra scrutiny and the TSA rummagers will take more care with your carry-ons. It will waste more time, yes. But that and the billions of dollars spent on this ersatz security is all worth it if we can avoid racial profiling, otherwise known as commonsense. And I predict that as the administration tightens things up, it will take only two instead of three hours for the president to be informed of the newest terrorist outrage.

But of course, our fearless leader — the “All-knowing,” “All-caring,” “Hopey-Changey” son of a Sixties Radical and post-colonial/East-African Marxist, stepson of an Indonesian Muslim, grandson of post-WWII/pre-Jack Kerouac, anti-establishment beatniks, with his own religious leanings somewhat suspect — doesn’t even acknowledge that we are at war with worldwide Islamic fascism.

His administration has adopted the oddly Orwellian term “Overseas Contingency Operation” to describe what most of us call the War on Terror.

It strains credulity to believe they are all just innocent misunderstandings. The truth is, until the American left finally wakes up from the misguided belief that we can “get along” with radical Islamo-facists, we will never be safe.

Back in 2003, when we were about to invade Iraq, a friend of mine who is now a retired marine lieutenant colonel, was recalled to active duty. As an infantry battalion officer, he was heavily involved with the retaking of Fallujah in November, 2004. When he finally came back home, he told me something that was absolutely chilling.

One day when they had captured one of the Iraqi “insurgents,” the man looked at my friend with seething hatred in his eyes, and through the interpreter said, “You Americans need to understand something. If I don’t kill you, my son will kill you. If my son doesn’t kill you, my grandson will kill you.”

The people we are fighting understand the generational nature of this conflict and view it from an historical perspective.

Contrary to what some would have us believe, this is not about any perceived slight on our part, or “Western arrogance.” These supposed grievances on the part of the Islamists are merely a pretext. Our enemies want nothing less than to reestablish the worldwide Islamic Caliphate.

And the stakes are nothing less than our very survival.

To get a better understanding of what motivates our enemies, I highly recommend Raymond Ibrahim’s book, The Al-Qaeda Reader.

In his highly instructive, and frankly disturbing book, this native speaker of Arabic and Library of Congress historian translates hundreds of Al-Qaeda documents that, in their own words, those who would subjugate the West lay out their case for doing so.

While you’re at it, check out my own book, The Price of Liberty – A Novel, by T.W. Elliott, LCDR USNR (Ret.)

On the tenth anniversary of 9/11, TransAmerican Airlines Captain Thomas Jackson “T.J.” McQuaid III, a burned-out African-American ex-naval aviator, ex-Navy SEAL, must battle his deranged co-pilot, as well as his own demons, in order to defend the White House and the U.S. Capitol.

The UK has totally succumbed to the islamists. The left wing in Britain has succeeded in totally destroying British claims to being an ally of the West. Any one from the UK should be subjected to the same scrutiny as any one from Yemen, Saudi etc. By the way when are the US security services going to stop acting as if they were a series of episodes of ‘The Three Stooges”?

Why was he not placed on a U.S. No Fly List? That’s not hard to figure out. Washington do not regard Muslim terrorists as the enemy. Patriotic, peaceful Americans – pro-lifers, tea party attendees, returning war veterans who risked their lives for America have been listed as the ones to watch out for.

Muslim terrorist training camps that teach murder of non-Muslims and violent Islamic conquest of America are allowed. God help America.

worldnetdaily.com
‘Chilling’ new video: How to slit throats
Jihad maneuvers taught at New York compound
December 15, 2009

A new video released by the Christian Action Network shows Muslim women at a compound in New York state practicing throat-slitting techniques and assault weapons attacks.

The video was distributed by the makers of the movie “Homegrown Jihad: The Terrorist Camps Around the U.S.,” which documents how a jihadist group has developed dozens of training camps across the nation.

WND reported at the time how Jamaat ul-Fuqra has built 35 compounds – mostly in the northeastern corridor of the U.S.

…The U.S. State Department’s 1998 “Patterns of Global Terrorism” report notes the organization “seeks to purify Islam through violence.”

The report continued, “Members have purchased isolated rural compounds in North America to live communally, practice their faith and insulate themselves from Western culture. Fuqra members have attacked a variety of targets that they view as enemies of Islam.”

CAN, led by Martin Mawyer, has researched Muslims of America for years and has provided its video to the FBI, State Department and Homeland Security. To date, there has been no response from the government, the group said.

…”Gilani has stated he is preparing his members to the Soldiers of Allah, and he’s set up the most advanced guerrilla warfare training camps,” he said.

According to the Religion of Peace website, there have been more than 250 jihad attacks by Muslims around the globe – including two inside the U.S. – in just the last two months.The death toll from the attacks has surpassed 1,400, the report says.http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=119087

17. Michael T:
The UK has totally succumbed to the islamists. The left wing in Britain has succeeded in totally destroying British claims to being an ally of the West. Any one from the UK should be subjected to the same scrutiny as any one from Yemen, Saudi etc. By the way when are the US security services going to stop acting as if they were a series of episodes of ‘The Three Stooges”?

I do agree with some of what you say. BUT the British had refused this terrorist a visa. so what does that say about the USA’s security ?? they have a long way to reach the prowess of the STOOGES

I personally think the Islamists infiltrating Europe is our biggest worry. Aside from possibly Iran, the Muslims have not been as advanced as the west in science and technology which is a good thing. However, if the Islamists gain majority control of almost any European country, they will have access to modern nuclear weapons and delivery systems. This is only a few years away.

U.S government reaction to this event is simply another harbinger of what is to come. Because of America’s ignorant sense of white guilt and utopian quest for social justice (whatever that means) the country has embraced an absurd and dangerous level of political correctness. And to prove that it has progressed to a gentler, kinder embrace of humanity an unthinking majority (still?) has empowered the most asinine and incompetent bunch of self-serving thieves ever assembled. Blame the educational establishment, Democrat lying and deception, blind pursuit of a liberal nirvana, or whatever excuse you wish to invoke, but I fear, and am now convinced that the country will not long survive this headlong rush toward weakness and collapse. Despite the cries of anguish and outrage at the prospect of such an eventuality, I fervently pray for and urge the US military to overthrow the current government. The armed forces of the US are pledged to uphold the Constitution and that is now being subverted on a daily basis. A popular revolution (violent if need be) requires leaders and coordination. That is totally lacking among the general populace who may be angry enough to rebel but lack the spine and the will. Does anyone still realistically believe that waiting until next November will effect a reversal from our present headlong rush toward failure and abandonment of the principles on which the U.S was founded? If so you undoubtedly believe in Neverland and the tooth fairy as well, worship unquestioningly before the idol of PC weakness, and have never glimpsed either real human nature or reality. Or you have become too materially comfortable and denial is so much easier. How’s that Hope and Change working out for you? Good luck with that!

No one has proven this was terrorism. There is no evidence that Al Quaida helped this deranged man in any way.

As far as we know this is just one troubled loner pushed to the edge by an imperialist regime that killed many of his countrymen. To suggest anything else, without facts to back up your assertion, is race stereotyping.

We are in the hands of people still working their way through daddy and mommy issues. Scratch a lefty and that’s what you’ll find. And such people always get everything wrong because not only do they never grow up but the only way to “solve” their problem is to punish every last one of us. We substitute in their sick freak minds for mommy and daddy and there is no way for them to expunge the bottomless rage they feel other than bringing total ruin down on our heads. Before this administration’s reign of horror is over we will have been decimated by it and by the muslims it instinctively sides with as allies in the war against us: the parents who MUST be destroyed.

I’m not sure this makes Annie Jacobsen a typical neocon hater or not. But rest assured if hate for sick islamofascists is the result of all this I will gladly wear the mantle–though I’m not sure exactly what a neocon is. And rest assured also that I work diligently, day in and day out, at building, promoting, and fostering the hate these dirtbags deserve! When every last one of them has been executed in the most painful and agonizing fashion then, and only then, will I be satisfied. Put that in your peace pipe and smoke it!

BC
By my reckoning, your folks have been in charge for almost a year and they haven’t improved on the hated Bush security measures one whit. In fact, as this incident so plainly shows, they have relaxed their vigilance, have compromised the systems, and have diminished our security. Janet N. is simply over her head in this job and her comments to the effect that everything worked as it should have are inane.

And as for you, Alice Wigglebottom, you need to wiggle your brain instead of your bottom. This man was from the privileged class in Nigeria, where we have never had any military activity. He was the son of a very wealthy banker who lived in London in a mansion that would do any terrorist proud. Finally, there is nothing in his background that would lead to the conclusion that he could obtain the explosives, package them as they were, and plan out this “operation” without considerable help. You can’t buy this stuff in the corner grocery. Witnesses in Amsterdam have stated that he was accompanied to the ticket counter by a well dressed handler.

I don’t believe we are supposed to surrender in advance to the desires of fanatics of any stripe and that included the extreme American left.

26: deranged man you say, how do you know he was deranged? he is a devout Muslim, with anger issues and probably unresolved childhood conflicts. which imperialistic regime are you talking about, something about facts. what?

When you talk about responsible government agencies i may have missed it but i don’t see the DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, which is the one headed by janet napolitano. It is there where the responsibility lies as well as this woman’s ideas about how to describe terrorism and many other ideas of hers of doubtful nature. How this ox, this bovine creature, was appointed to one of the most important high level positions involving the security of AMERICA is beyond all explanation. Her ignorance is not only in what she says or in what she writes. It is written all over her face.
IT IS THERE, IN THIS DHS, IN MY OPINION, WHERE THIS TERRORIST SHOULD HAVE BEEN STOPPED COLD. DHS IS A DEPARTMENT CONSISTING OF THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES AND NEEDS THE DIRECTION OF AN ULTRA COMPETENT LEADER, NOT THE ONE WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

On Terrorist Watch List, but Allowed to Buy a Gun:…draw attention to an odd divergence in federal law: people placed on the government’s terrorist watch list can be stopped from getting on a plane or getting a visa, but they cannot be stopped from buying a gun.

These agencies have always been a political salve to give you teabagging dooshes a feeling of security. But there is virtually nothing that can stop a determined terrorist in a country like the US, these agencies are just window dressing. The only thing that saves you idiots is that your paranoid fantasies of some gigantic jihad of brown and black people out to destroy the country that slaves and chinese indentured servants created for you is so pathetically out of line with reality. There are very few terrorists, and even fewer with their wigs screwed on. The ones that have a modicum of knowledge and average intelligence succeed and will continue to, that’s just the price of doing business. Dry off your panties and get on with life, you cowards.

The obama-ites said they took 3 hours to notify him because they thought someone lit firecrackers on the plane. As is allowing firecrackers on a plane (let alone lighting them) is normal. This administration spews one lie-excuse after another. As far as airport security, they will strip search some grandmother and take her 5 ounce bottle of skin lotion, but they happily allow bomb-carrying terrorists on international flights (he had no luggage, was on a TSA list, his father called and warned the US embassy, and he paid for his ticket with cash!). How obvious does it have to be??? Now we have a new rule where people cannot stand up in the last hour of a flight. Wonderful. Let the bombers on the airplane, but make em sit. That strip searched grandmother, attempting to get to the bathroom because of her medical condition, will no doubt be tackled and beat up by freaked-out passengers and flight attendants. Just brilliant.

Let’s face it, if this scum had attempted to climb aboard an El Al flight he would have been “profiled”, interviewed,searched and shadowed if he were allowed to board after step two. This immature piece of human debris was missed, the administratrions TSA agents are busy avoiding the political correctness lable, instead of focusing in on a previously identified potential problem. Incidentally, Bush’s TSA was guitly of the same PC distraction.
I had a good laugh this morning when Janet Napolitano said that the system worked. If this human garbage hadn’t been jumped by an alert passenger, it is possible that the flight may have ended in tragedy. Obviously, the system didn’t work.

Thanks to the passenger who risked his life to save the others on the plane while Ms. Napolitano was tut tuting her TSA agents to be careful not to profile passengers.

All the love and hugs the administration is showing towards the Rad Islamists doesn’t seem to be changing their attitude about needing to kill us infidels. Yet another example of reality colliding with hope and change.

Janet Napolitano is what we call a “useful idiot” who has far exceeded the outside norms of the “Peter Principle.” The question that begs to be answered is why? Was it her support of Obama and he responded by giving her this spot like it was an ambassadorship? It really is an important position, too important to just hand off to the first dunce that comes along.

So what’s the deal? As I say in my post, maybe it is important to the administration to have someone weak and incompetent in such an important position. They have a plan, we don’t know what it is past what we see. Maybe it is as simple as they want to control the department through her. Or maybe they want to be able to use the power of the department at some point in the future, for example as a way to identify “terrorists” Obama sees in our midst.

One thing for sure, she’s a mess, and should be replaced. If she’s not, then it proves they want her for something and it isn’t her great intelligence or insight.

Alice Nolan:
1. The TSA’s incompetence is nothing new to anyone here.
2. The fact that not every terrorist can be stopped is not an excuse not to try to stop them.
3. You say there are very few terrorists. How do you know this? Crystal ball? Ouija board?
4. The fact that someone on the watch list can own a gun should be self-evident, even to you. It’s a “watch” list.
5. You’re an idiot. I base this on your comments alone.

Good one! I am assuming that is your satire printed out above. If I am correct, I like your presentation of the naivete.

If I am wrong, and you need further “evidence” of this Islamofacsists intentions towards the “infidels” he tried to act as judge, jury and executioner towards, let me ask you this: if that had been your mother, sister, husband or child sitting in row 20, would it be ok to sacrifice their lives, so that you could avoid the responsibility of figuring out whether the people on board deserved to die at this mans hand?

If I am wrong, you need the help of a professional. Do you understand that no one has the right to get on board an airplane and kill the other civilian passengers? No Catholic, no Protestant, no Hindu and no Muslim? Does that register?

someone shouldn’t be put on a no fly list just because their father works at a bank says they are crazy. it might be a nice fantasy for you but its not the way the real world works. do you really trust bankers and everyone’s father to be such ethically wonderful and flawless people to deny the opportunity of flight and commerce simply based on one mans accusations? put them on a list for further looking into, or one that brings up extra screening, that’s prudent, but we have simply way to many loonies in this world, too many flights, and limited resources, we can’t track down every lone complaint with any sort of effectiveness, that’s a limitation of reality, and i assume no one wants a bigger government agency? stop blaming bush, and obama and our military and the tsa for the messy and harsh reality that confronts us Americans. a bunch of weak willed right wing finger pointing and name calling and BS partisanship backstabbing of America is no better than the left wing backstabbing we saw during he bush admn. grow up pajamas media, you better start seeing that it is all of us Americans in this together.

41. gordo:
Alice Nolan:
1. The TSA’s incompetence is nothing new to anyone here.
2. The fact that not every terrorist can be stopped is not an excuse not to try to stop them.
3. You say there are very few terrorists. How do you know this? Crystal ball? Ouija board?
4. The fact that someone on the watch list can own a gun should be self-evident, even to you. It’s a “watch” list.
5. You’re an idiot. I base this on your comments alone.

GORDO eres demasiado sympatico. to call Alice in wonderland an idiot is insulting. she has a long way to go before she is at the level of idiot.

Gordo, thanks for numbering your stupid responses, it makes it easier to respond to you. If 1 is true, then 3 is self-evident doosh-wad. If you’ve known that the TSA is incompetent for years, then you should also be aware that must mean there are very few competent terrorists. That requires a bit of logical deduction, which is unfair to expect you to possess. 4. Someone on the watch list is not allowed to fly, yet they can own a gun. I have no doubt that seems perfectly logical to you, which is my entire point.

What you idiots never understand about profiling people with Islamic names or looks, is that they outnumber non-Islamic people by a factor of about two to one. You can profile a minority group in your own country, you can’t profile a majority group in the global community without actually curtailing the rights of a majority of people. Its quite obvious that what I’ve written here is beyond your comprehension.

What you idiotic hypocrites never cared about Homeland Security before Obama:

The government agency responsible for protecting the nation against terrorist attack is a dysfunctional, poorly managed bureaucracy that has failed to plug serious holes in the nation’s safety net, the Department of Homeland Security’s former internal watchdog warns.Clark Kent Ervin, who served as the department’s inspector general until earlier this month, said in an interview last week that airport security isn’t tight enough and that little has been done to safeguard other forms of mass transit. Ervin said ports remain vulnerable to terrorists trying to smuggle weapons into the country. He added that immigration and customs investigators are hampered in their efforts to track down illegal immigrants because they often lack gas money for their cars.

“There are still all these security gaps in the country that have yet to be closed,” Ervin said. Meanwhile, he added, Homeland Security officials have wasted millions of dollars because of “chaotic and disorganized” accounting practices, lavish spending on social occasions and employee bonuses and a failure to require competitive bidding for some projects.

Asked what’s wrong with the department, he said, “It’s difficult to figure out where to start.”

Ervin lost his job this month in mysterious fashion. Appointed by President Bush in December 2003 when Congress was out of session, Ervin was never confirmed by the Senate. Nor was he renominated by the White House this month when his “recess appointment” — which lasted until the congressional session ended — expired Dec. 8.

Asked whether Ervin might be renominated, White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters Dec. 17, “I don’t get into speculating about who might be nominated.” He noted that Ervin’s term had expired and said, “We appreciate the job he has done.”

Justasimplepatriot said, “This is the 2nd terrorist attack since “The Anointed One” was elected. While the executive branch has been focused on Global Warming and establishing Health Care Rationing boards, our enemies are successfully slipping under the wire and testing our defenses.
I wonder what it will take for Obama to take notice?”

I say that if it helped Obama’s approval ratings, Mr.HoaxandChange would have been glad for the attack to succeed. His concern is always for himself, our president cares nothing for our country or its citizens.

Alice Nolin(aka Alice Wigglebottom) wrote: “There are very few terrorists, and even fewer with their wigs screwed on.”

Every liberal I have known personally is either mentally ill or has a below normal IQ. Which category do you fall into?
Your screeching posts make me believe the first but it could be combination for you.

It is obvious that if someone’s name pops up on a watch list and they fit a profile, the situation warrants further investigation. Neither of you seem to favor logical prudence. Very odd.

Don’t feed me any crap about Constitutional rights. These killers come from places where such concepts barely exist. This scum bag was not a US citizen. You seem to be more interested in his welfare than that of the innocent people on the jet who could have been killed. I note that he has no doubt been Mirandized and has a court appointed attorney.

You give your belicosity away by attempting to disguise it with a human rights visage. Very interesting. Very disgusting.

Every liberal I have known personally is either mentally ill or has a below normal IQ.

First of all, I’m not a liberal. Second, of all, though I care little for liberals, no one is dumber than the average teabagging doosh. One need only witness the spectacle of any teabagging doosh who has insinuated themselves into a public position. Simply retarded.

It is obvious that if someone’s name pops up on a watch list and they fit a profile, the situation warrants further investigation. Neither of you seem to favor logical prudence.

I’m frankly baffled about how you idiots perceived my post to be against the idea of policing terrorists. My only point was that these organizations are political constructs, they were never meant to catch terrorists, because its simply nearly impossible to stop terrorists who are smart and committed. All of these efforts have been to keep you little babies from wetting your pants at the dangerous world we live in. THe fact that these agencies–which you people now find convenient to label incompetent, though their staff and management remained unchanged from the time you wholeheartedly supported them–are incompetent and there are so few terrorist acts, only proves that there are few terrorists. The government can’t keep you safe, IT NEVER HAS. That’s why we had nine eleven in the first place you idiots. You’re just going to have to ask your mommies to sing you to sleep

Alice #46: You say “What you idiots never understand about profiling people with Islamic names or looks, is that they outnumber non-Islamic people by a factor of about two to one. You can profile a minority group in your own country, you can’t profile a majority group in the global community without actually curtailing the rights of a majority of people.”

There are, (depending on who’s counting and who’s being counted), between 1 billion and 1.4 billion Muslims in the world. And as of this writing the population of the world is 6.7 billion.

This reminds me of an experience I had 30 years ago. The setting was quite different, but the message was essentially the same.

I was studying in Paris and got to know other students from many different countries. One of them, a politically active sort of fellow from Morocco, told me that the U.S. must be destroyed and that if one generation didn’t accomplish that goal, the next generation would continue the battle.

I remembered that warning on 911 and it has never been far from my thoughts since then.

The link between Mr. Abdulmuttalab and Yemeni extremists is still tenuous. A Nigerian government spokeswoman said Sunday that, based on interviews with family members, Mr. Abdulmuttalab did travel to Yemen in recent months. It is still unclear if his claimed links with Al Qaeda-affiliated extremists in the country are genuine.

Alice, you say the government is incapable of keeping us safe, yet you want to give them more money to spend? And if they can’t get such a simple thing as force right, how can they get more complex things like health care right? You’re a walking contradiction.

The Department of Homeland Security
took a Muslim group with known past ties to terror organizations on a VIP tour of security operations at the nation’s busiest airport at the same time British authorities were working to break up a plot to blow up U.S. airlines.

On June 21, a senior DHS official from Washington personally guided Muslim officials from the Council on American-Islamic Relations on a behind-the-scenes tour of Customs screening operations at O’Hare International Airport in response to CAIR complaints that Muslim travelers were being unfairly delayed as they entered the U.S. from abroad.

CAIR is a spin-off of the Islamic Association for Palestine, identified by two former FBI counterterrorism chiefs as a “front group” for the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.

Several CAIR leaders have been convicted on terror-related charges.

During the airport tour, CAIR was taken on a walk through the point-of-entry, Customs stations, secondary screening and interview rooms. In addition, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents were asked to describe for CAIR representatives various features of the high-risk passenger lookout system.http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51573

Council on American-Islamic Relations: “Islam isn’t in America to be equal to any other faiths, but to become dominant. The Koran, the Muslim book of scripture, should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on Earth.” – Omar Ahmad (CAIR co-founder).

Why does it take a Christmas Underwear Bomber to wake Americans up to the threat of a resurgence of horrible 7th cent. Islam in our ever-shrinking globe? As a new decade begins it’s time to quit being an Islam history ignoramus and take the time to learn the key facts of its rise, spread and core beliefs to arm your mind against what’s to come. Never fear, you can learn it all free online with the Historyscoper, just click the url and get started now.

The author states that the terrorist’s father notified the U.S. Embassy of his son’s fanaticism. Thus, the question is did the Embassy notify anyone else in the U.S. Government? If not, then it is Embassy personnel who are to blame and who should be fired and prosecuted.

You right wing Americans are amazing and not in a good way! Terrorists are a crazy minority who have always existed and who will always succeed in their small minded deranged deadly plans. But they are too small a group to have any real impact – nations go on, economies grow – the biggest problem is fear and your over reaction. You guys fear any one and anything that looks or sounds different to you. Introduce sensible security measures and get on with life.
If you don’t like the world then shut your doors stay home and let the world get on with life without you. We will manage you know
The billions you have wasted invading Iraq, the billions you have wasted on the sub-prime fiasco, the billions you have wasted in your airline security that clearly doesn’t work…. shall I go on.
Stop criticising Britain, we are a liberal country and not without problems. We don’t harbour or encourage terrorists we are a multinational country with diverse culture. So are you by the way if you haven’t noticed – whites will be in the minority in USA by 2050 according to your census bureau
Wake up to the real world guys – you can strip search and xray every passenger if you want – the terrorists will get through somewhere – the way to minimise their impact is to get on with life and don’t let them terrorise YOU

“Air Canada posted notice that, under the TSA-imposed rules, “during the final hour of flight customers must remain seated, and will not be allowed to access carry-on baggage, or have personal belongings or other items on their laps.”

“In a memo sent to airlines (but not posted on the TSA Web site), airlines flying to the U.S. are instructed to turn off any in-flight entertainment systems with embedded maps or GPS programs showing the plane’s exact location. Pilots and crew members are also told not to make announcements identifying landmarks below”

I heard Janet Napolitano say that there were close to half a million people on the “watch list” and that was too many to be able to keep track of them all. I’m paraphrasing but it was close to that. Anyway, this, from the same government mind you, that wants to keep track of the health and welfare of 300 or so million citizens? Hello? Anyone home???…

You’ve yet to produce the comment you falsely attributed to “Mary Steiner“, claiming that she asked me “then to define when this golden age of America began.”

Goy, if you want to believe that you were somehow gravely wronged in that interaction, feel free. I’ve frankly forgotten what that argument was about and am only left with the memory of your obtuse stupidity. Reaffirmed herein on this page. By the way look up the word hypocrite.

And it was, if I recall. Frankly, I would have ignored your ridiculous post and challenge; its not really worth my time to go looking through the bowels of this website. But since you provided the link, it was good for an easy laugh, almost as funny as your frantic attempts to hide the fact that you have no idea what ad hominem means. You seem to like being humiliated. Ask your wife about carrying out your fantasies in the privacy of your own home, rather than on the internet. I’ll start charging you.

@82. “Alice Nolin”: – …if you want to believe that you were somehow gravely wronged…

Avoiding the point again, I see. And with yet another straw man, to boot. How positively moho.

You misrepresented “Mary’s” post. Either willfully or incompetently. You pick.

Just one more example of your inability to read what’s written, and how you prefer instead to recite the acid-fueled fantasies you nurture, or fall back to blindly reciting what’s tattooed on the inside of your balding forehead.

The War on Terror is phony. If it weren’t, its proponents would have greater faith in the effectiveness of our justice system. But it is phony, so they say throw the “terrorists” in jail and let the military deal with them. That’s what I just heard twit Congresswoman Candice Miller from Michigan say about this hapless Nigerian idiot who did more harm to himself than anyone else on the KLM flight to Detroit. She and all the other reactionary Nazis HATE the American Constitution (especially the part about Habeas Corpus found in Article I.) while screaming from hilltops that they are its protectors. Total doublespeak. Miller’s last comment on her Fox News interview was that she hoped the President now sees (after this Nigerian incident) how important it is to keep Guantanamo open. Ahhh, now I see.

And notice the American press? No names are ever given as sources for information. Only “officials say” or “sources inside ____ say.” Total propaganda. Al Qaeda message posted on “website frequently used by terrorists?” Seriously? We’ve spent trillions over nine years now on this charade. Did it ever occur to us to shut these websites down or cut off their funding? Of course it did, but that’s besides the point. Somebody in power wants this “War on Terror” to last forever because it is about making money for military contractors while expanding our empire. It’s one false flag after another.

OK fine, the elite can play with their tin soldiers while pumping up a phony threat until the Empire crumbles. Just don’t insult my intelligence.

Well, if it is, it’s born of your abject inability to respond substantively when called on your misrepresentation. Just admit you screwed up and move on. What – other than moving further into negative credibility territory – could possibly be so difficult about that?

I swear, keeping nuts like you in their place is a full-time, endless job. Thankfully, it’s an easy one.

For 400 years the US has been protected by 2 wide oceans. In the early 1900′s the Wright brothers first gained flight. After the ostensible defeat of Communism in 1989, militant Islam has been on the ascendency.

West-hating and backward muslim societies are now been fueled by petro dollars. These barbarians can now export their global jihad via the internet and international travel.

The West, having been developed through the enlightenment, the Magna Carta and the Judeo-Christian creed, is open to immigration and the subversion of our laws by these barbarians.

The US is just beginning to realize what’s at stake. An America-first Nationalistic party or movement will be the natural outgrowth of the clash of these civilizations.

The politically correct do-gooders will be thrown into the dust bin of history. They are no match for a determined, hate-filled and ruthless ideology.

Border security, restricted immigation and the loss of US citizenship for terrorists and their families will be the only avenues to stop Islamic jihad. Great debates will ensue in the US about civil liberties and the rule of law with respect to this dangerous ideology.

The US Constitution and the Bill of Rights are not a suicide compact. Islam and the West are incompatible.

Sure, the people who sent this guy wanted him to blow the plane up. I’m wondering though if this young man truly wanted to succeed. I mean, look, he did everything possible to draw attention to himself. (1) a one-way ticket (2) bought it with cash (3) no luggage (4) stewardess asks him what’s under his blanket & he answers ‘explosives’.
And then when the Dutch guy jumps him, he offers absolutely no resistance. Frankly, I think that this is an emotionally troubled young man who got in too deep with a terrorist group and couldn’t back out when they said that he had to do a suicide bombing. So his only option became to do it so badly that he’d get caught.

Oh, I do agree though with the strong possibility that we are at war with Islam. I think many of the European countries should start sending some of their immigrant populations back to their original countries since many of them appear to be wanting to bring Sharia law to these countries. I think we should start paying much closer attention to our own Islamic population and what they teach in their schools in our own country also. Idealism is nice but safety is nicer. I have read too many horror stories about these people and how they treat their women, female children and gay boys and men to ever want to have any of that exported to the west. Anyone who thinks that the west treats gays badly hasn’t seen anything. I’ll just put it nicely and say they put them to death without saying how this is accomplished. I’m not saying this is true of all Islamic countries but it is true of some and the bad ones seems to be winning over the others. If things keep going the way they are I think the bad ones will swallow the ‘good’ ones up. Frankly, I’d rather just cut off all communication with all of them.